Can perforator and pourer



Aug. 19, 1952 ULJAK 2,607,511

CAN PERFORATOR AND POURER Filed April 7, 1950 INVENTOR. PAUL ULJAK Patented Aug. 19, 1952 V UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE oANPERFonAToR AND POURER Paul Uljak, Passaic, N. J. 7 Application April 7, 1950, Serial No. 154,697

This invention relates to a combined opener and dispenser for liquid containing cans.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device with which liquid egress and'air entrance ports can be pierced in'a liquid containing can in one simple operation, and which acts as a pouring spout for the can once said Ports are formed. I

Another object of the invention isso to construct the device that the port iorming means are adjustable to accommodate cans of widely varied dimensions.

A further object of the invention is the provision of simple and efiicient means for securing the device in. place on a can, said means being so constructed as to adapt itself to a wide variety oi can sizes and shapes.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the variousnovel features .of the invention are more. particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the device of the invention mounted on a can which is shown in dot-dash lines, the device being in its initial nonoperated position.

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the device as shown inFig. 1. a

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view illustrating a sectioned fragment of the can and showing the port forming means of the device in a m-idgpcsi- I tion which it assumes just prior toforming the ports. I

Fig. 4 is also a sideelevational view illustrating, in full lines, the device in a partially .operated position with the 1iquid egr-essport already formed and the air entrance port-about to be formed, and in dot dash lines in the fully operated position.

Fig. 5 is an end View of the device as .seen from the left of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view of the device on line 6-5 ofF'ig. '5. Fig. 7 is an end view of the device as seen ijrom the right of 'Fig. 4, with a part thereof sectioned away.

Fig. 8-is a sectional view on line 8. 3 of Fig. 4.

The combined'opener and dispenser, according to the present invention, is to bemounted on the upper rimlfl of an ordinary liquid containing can I l. The device includes a block 12 having in its underside a notch orgroove I3 to .4 ciai ms. (01. 222-83) 2 receive the rim it of the can, said groove being sufliciently broad to accommodate the curvature of the rim of a smallcan or the thickness of the rim of a large can. The groove 13 is located near what shall hereinafter be called the outer end of block [2, and. the outer wall thereof extends downward somewhat further than the inner wall to provide a depending tail M the purpose of which will presently be explained.

Secured to the outer face of block l2 in any suitable way such as by welding, and extending downward to the lower'edge of tail I l is a plate l5. Referring also to Figs. 3,4, 5 and 6 the lower portion of plate lsiand the tail M are provided with a threaded hole It through which passes a bolt I! having pivoted to its outer end a turning lever or arm [3 by which the bolt can be drawn up in said hole to wedge the rim ll! of the can between itself and the inner wall of groove l3. This, it will be seen, secures the block [2 on said rim. The invention contemplates that the lever arm I 8 bereplaced by a knurled or butterfly head on bolt 4 .or by any other means for facilitating the operation of the bolt. As best shownin Figs. 4 and"? the 'underedge of block i2 is provided near its inner end with a pair of rounded extensions 26 which-engage on the top of the can when-said block is secured on the rim of .the latter.

The interior construction or block I2 is best shown in Fig. 6 wherein it is shown that said block is provided with a vertical bore 2-! and a horizontal bore 22 which extends from said vertical borethrough theplate I 5. Slidably mounted in the vertical bore 2| is a hollow tube 23 having its lower end formed angula'rly and sharpened r to form a can cutting edge 24,-and having secured on its upper end arounded, an vil like cap 25 which overlaps the edge of said bore 2!. i, The tube 23 is provided in the-ou-ter'side thereof with a cutout 2-6 which whens'aid tube is in its lowermost position is located completely within bore 2 3. In order to prevent turning of tube 23, and to limit its up and down movements a pin 27 traverses bore 21 and passes through cutout 23..

if the cutting edge 24 or tube 23 be Lie-reed through the top of can H and a suitable air hole provided the can, the can-can-be tilted and its liquid contents will pour through tube 23-, cut out 26 and tube 28. Thus the-tubes 23 and 28 when connected by the cutout 28 form a spout through which the contents of the can, can be dispensed.

In order to force the cutting edge 23 through the top of can I I and also to form a port through which air can enter the can the following means are provided.

The plate l extends above block 12 and is bifurcated to form arms 30 which near their upper ends support a pivot pin 3| as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. Pivoted on pin 3|, between the arms 30 is a long lever arm 32 which in its fully operated horizontal position shown in dot dash lines in Fig. 4 passes over the block 12 and then is offset downwardly so that the portion thereof extending over rim H at the opposite side of the can rests on the rim. Just outward of the anvil like cap 25 on tube 23 a cutout or notch 33 is provided in the lever 32 so that the direction of the action of said lever on said tube is vertically downward rather than at an angle inclined from the vertical. If the cutout was not provided the lever would engage the sloping side of cap 25 and unsatisfactory results would be obtained. With the cutout the lever engages the top of the cap and the cutting edge 24 is forced through the top of the can with a minimum of effort.

Slidably mounted on the offset portion of lever arm 32 is a slide 34 formed of a piece of strap metal looped about the lever as best shown in Fig. 8. Secured to slide 34 by rivets or screws 35 is a downwardly extending knife like punch 36, both sides of which taper inwardly to form a point at the lower end thereof. The edge of punch 36 nearest the block [2, that designated 31 is sharpened so that once the pointed end of the punch pierces the top of the can said edge can cut through the material of said top to admit the remainder of the'punch into the can and provide a suitable air entrance port.

The operation of the device is as follows.

First, the device is secured on the upper rim of the can as shown in Fig. 1. Then the lever arm 32 is grasped at its free end and swung from the position shown in Fig. 1, through the position shown in Fig. 3 wherein the lever is about to engage the cap 25, to the positions shown in Fig. 4. At a convenient position between that shown in Fig. 3 and the full line position of Fig. 4, the slide 34 is moved along the lever arm to the appropriate location, this of course depending on the size of the can. Next the lever 32 is moved to the full line position of Fig. 4 which forces the cutting edge 24 through the top of the can and forms the liquid egress port, and then to the dot-dash line position of Fig. 4 which forces the punch 36 through the top of the can and forms the air entrance port.

Finally, the can is tilted and its liquid contents poured out through the spout formed by tubes 23 and 28.

It is to be mentioned that the punch 36 in forcing its way into the can, becomes sufficiently wedged so that the can can be tilted by means of the lever arm 32, and yet because of the ragged cut of the material of the can allows sufficient air to enter through the air entrance port to allow satisfactory pouring of the cans contents.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A combined opener and dispenser for liquid containing cans comprising a block, means to secure the block on the upper rim of a can, a lever arm pivoted to said block, a vertical tube extending above and below the block and slidably mounted therein, an anvil cap on the tube for engagement by said lever to force the tube downward, a cutting edge on the lower end of the tube to be forced through the top of the can when the tube is moved downward to form a liquid egress port, a cutout in the tube wholly within the block when the tube has been moved downward, a horizontal tube fixedly mounted in the block and extending beyond said block to form a pouring spout, the last said tube opening into said cutout when said first tube has been moved downward, a punch mounted on said lever arm to be forced through the top of the can to form an air entrance port, and a pin means mounted on said block and engaging said cutout of said first tube holding said first tube against rotation in a position in which its cutout is aligned with the inner end of said second tube while at the same time leaving said first tube free for vertical sliding.

2. A combined opener and dispenser for liquid containing cans comprising a block, a plate secured to the outer end of the block and extending thereabove, means to secure the block on the upper rim of a can, a leverarm pivoted to the plate above the block, a vertical tube extending above and below the block, andslidably mounted therein an anvil capon the tube for engagement by said lever to force the tube downward, a cutting edge on the lower end of the tube to be forced through the top of the can when the tube is moved downward to form a liquid egress port, a cutout in the tube wholly within the block when the tube has been moved downward, said cutout facing said plate, a pinfixed in the block and passing through said cutout to prevent turning of the tube and to limit the latters up and down movements, a horizontal tube fixedly mounted in the block and the plate and extending beyond said plate to form a pouring spout, the last said tube opening into said cutout when the first said tube has been moved downward, a slide loosely mounted on said lever arm, and a punch mounted on said slide to be forced through the top of the can to form an air entrance port, said punch having its lower end pointed and the side nearest the block sharpened whereby, said ports having been formed, the, can can be tilted to pour out its contents through said tubes.

3. A combined opener'and dispenser for liquid containing cans comprising a block, 'a plate secured to the outer end of the block and extending thereabove, means to secure the block on the upper rim of a can, a lever arm pivoted to the plate above the block, a vertical tube extend-ing above and below the block, and slidably mounted therein an anvil cap on the tube. for engagement by said lever to force the tube downward, a notch in the lever arm to prevent the latter from engaging the side of said cap, a cutting edge on the lower end of the tube to be forced through the top of the can when the tube is moved downward to forma liquid egress port, a-cutout in the tube wholly within the block whenlthe tube has been moved downward, said cutout facing saidplate, a pin fixed in the block and passing through said cutout to prevent turning of the tube and to limit the latters up and down movements, 9. horizontal tube fixedly mounted in the block and the plate and extending beyond said plate to form a pouring spout, the last said tube opening into said cutout when the first said tube has been moveddownward, a slide loosely mounted on said lever arm, and a punch mounted on said slide to be forced through the top of the can to form an air entrance port, said punch having its lower end pointed and the side nearest the block sharpened whereby, said portions having been formed, the can can be tilted to pour out'its contents through said tubes.

4. A combined opener and dispenser for liquid containing cans comprising a block, a plate secured tothe outer end of the block and extending thereabove, means to secure the block on the upper rim of a can including a groove in'the underedge of the block to receive said rim, the outer wall of the groove extending downward further than the inner to form a tail on the block, and a bolt threaded through said plate and said tail to wedge the rim against the inner wall of the groove, a lever arm pivoted to the plate above the block, a vertical tube extending above and below the block, and slidably mounted therein an anvil cap on the tube for engagement by said lever to force the tube downward, a notch in the lever arm to prevent the latter from engaging the side of said cap, a cutting edge on the lower end of the tube to be forced through the top of the can when the tube is moved downward to form a liquid egress port, a cutout in the tube wholly within the block when the tube has been moved downward, said cutout facing said plate, a pin fixed in the block and passing through said cutout to prevent turning of the tube and to limit the latters up and down movements, a horizontal tube fixedly mounted in the block and the plate and extending beyond said plate to form a pouring spout, the last said tube opening into said cutout when the first said tube has been moved downward, a slide loosely mounted on said lever arm, and a punch mounted on said slide to be forced through the top of the can to form an air entrance port, said punch having its lower end pointed and the side nearest the block sharpened whereby, said portions having been formed,

' the can can be tilted to pour out its contents through said tubes.

PAUL ULJAK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

